Admission and parking for all Illinois home games at Eichelberger Field is FREE for all fans. Due to the Illinois Marathon, there will be an abundance of road closures affecting Friday and Saturday's games. The best way to access Eichelberger Field on Saturday will be from the southeast, via Windsor to Lincoln to Florida. For detailed information, click here.

The Fighting Illini have faced Michigan 24 times over the past 13 years, with the Wolverines being ranked in the top 25 for all 22 games dating back to 2002. Illinois has captured five wins over the ranked Wolverines in that span, including winning two out of three in Ann Arbor on April 28-29, 2012, in their most recent meeting with Michigan. Of those five wins, two came while the Wolverines were ranked in the top 10.

The Illini exploded for five runs on four hits, including a three-run home run by Jess Perkins to break a 0-0 tie in the top of the eighth inning to take the 2012 series opener from No. 22 Michigan, 5-1. Despite out-hitting Michigan, 7-6, in game two, the Wolverines edged the Illini, 2-1, to even the series, but the Illini captured the weekend crown in the finale with a 2-0 victory behind a four-hit shutout by Pepper Gay and three hits and two runs by Perkins. With the series win, Illinois became the first Big Ten team since 2001 to defeat Michigan at home twice in a season.

ILLINI TO RECOGNIZE 2004 TEAM FOR 10TH ANNIVERSARY ON SATURDAY

The Orange and Blue are proud to welcome back members of the 2004 Fighting Illini for the 10th anniversary of their storied season. Made up of the first-ever Illini senior class, along with younger additions like First Team All-American Jenna Hall and career triples leader Rachelle Coriddi, the 2004 Illini finished second in the Big Ten, were the Big Ten Tournament Runner-Up, advanced to the NCAA Regional Final, and finished ranked No. 17 in the NFCA Poll. Nearly every member from the successful team will be in attendance at Saturday's game, and the group will be recognized prior to first pitch.

BOOKER, MYCHKO TO BE HONORED SUNDAY ON SENIOR DAY

Playing in their final game at Eichelberger Field on Sunday, seniors Alex Booker and Jenna Mychko will be honored prior to the Michigan series finale on Senior Day. Though a small class, the pair has made outstanding contributions to the Fighting Illini over their four seasons in Champaign-Urbana.

Booker currently holds the career record for stolen base percentage, having gone 32-for-33 on the basepaths as an upperclassman, and is in the top 10 in career batting average, on base percentage, stolen bases and fielding percentage. Should she continue her flawless defense through the end of the season, she will graduate with the highest career fielding percentage of an Illinois outfielder in program history.

Mychko is a talented catcher who has turned into quite the slugger this season, leading the Illini with six home runs while batting a career-high .287. She ranks fourth all-time among Illinois catchers in runners caught stealing and stolen base percentage against and, should she finish out the season without an error, would set new records for both single-season and career fielding percentage.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

The Fighting Illini defense has done a fantastic job at keeping base runners from scoring, most effectively by turning double plays. The Illini have matched their program record by turning 27 double plays over just 42 games and have led the Big Ten in DPs all year.

Entering the week, the Illini ranked second in the nation by averaging 0.67 double plays per game. Illinois' previous record is 0.49 per game, set back in 2006, when the Illini ranked fourth in the nation by turning 27 double plays in 55 games.

The Illini tied the school record by turning three double plays in the second game of the Iowa series, all three of which included both Rivera and Perkins. In doing so, Rivera became just the second shortstop in Illini history to turn three DPs in one game (Lindsey Hamma, 5/11/01), while Perkins was the third first baseman to do so (Audrey Gallien, 3/7/08; Meredith Hackett, 3/26/09); the pair were the seventh and eighth Illini overall to participate in three double plays in one game, and it was the sixth Illinois game in which the feat had occurred.

RECORD CROWD SEES ILLINI TOP #20 NEBRASKA

Illinois hosted the 11th-Annual World's Largest Softball Tailgate on Saturday, April 5, featuring local country music star Nick Lynch, tons of kids activities, and a "Diamond in the Rough" promotion, in which one lucky fan won a diamond valued at over $1100, courtesy of Christopher & Co.

The event took place before a Big Ten doubleheader against No. 20 Nebraska, as a crowd of 1,289 fans packed the stands at Eichelberger Field to watch the Illini defeat the nationally-ranked Huskers, 11-4, in the series opener. The crowd was the second-largest in program history, trailing only WLST IV, when a near sellout crowd of 1,445 filed in to Eichelberger to watch the Illini take on No. 11 DePaul on April 28, 2007. WLST XI marked the sixth time that Illinois surpassed the 1,000-fan mark, all of which have come following the tailgate promotion.

The Illini put on quite a show for the packed house, as the Orange and Blue put together 11 runs on 10 hits, including home runs by Alex Booker and Nicole Evans, while the Illini pitching staff limited the Huskers' potent offence to four runs, as Brandi Needham collected her 13th victory of the season and Shelese Arnold recorded her first career save. Four different Illini had two hits in the game, including Booker, who reached base in all four plate appearances, while Ruby Rivera scored a game-high three runs.

BOOKER TABS 2ND CYCLE IN BIG TEN HISTORY

On Sunday, Feb. 23, senior Alex Booker made history by becoming the first-ever Illini to hit for the cycle, doing so in the Illini's 9-1 victory over Creighton. It began with an RBI double in the second inning. She then laid down a bunt single to load the bases in the third. She drilled a two-out triple in the top of the fifth, then crushed a two-run homer in the seventh to become just the second player in Big Ten history ever to hit for the cycle. Her 10 total bases in the game lead the Big Ten this season, and just two Illini have ever registered more in a game, each recording 11 on a single, a double and two home runs (Meredith Hackett vs. UTSA, 2/12/11 & Angelena Mexicano vs. Sacramento State, 3/18/07).

BOOKER NAMED BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Senior Alex Booker was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Feb. 24 after her head-turning performance at the UTA Hilton Invitational. The Gurnee, Ill., native made history on Feb. 23, by becoming the first Illini and just the second Big Ten player ever to hit for the cycle, leading the Illini to a 9-1 victory over Creighton. Booker hit safely in all four games at the tournament, going 3-for-4 with a double and a stolen base against UMKC, then tallying a single, a double, a triple and a home run to go along with three RBI and two runs against Creighton on Sunday. She began the weekend with a single, a stolen base and an RBI against Texas Tech, and finished the tournament by hitting a two-RBI double to drive in the game-winning run against UT Arlington. Booker tabbed a .529 batting average on the week, slugging 1.000.

ILLINOIS HAS TOUGH 2014 SLATE

The Fighting Illini have another difficult schedule for 2014, which to this point in the season ranks 19th in the nation in strength of schedule:

Illinois has 21 games scheduled against teams that participated in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, including facing three of the eight teams that advanced to the Women's College World Series (Tennessee, Michigan, Nebraska).

The Illini have games scheduled against eight teams that are ranked in this week's NFCA poll, including two teams that have been ranked No. 1 this season (Tennessee, UCLA). Additionally, Illinois' opponents DePaul, Wisconsin, USF and Purdue are receiving votes in at least one poll this week.

From March 26 to April 27, 20 of the Illini's 21 games have been against teams that are ranked or receiving votes in this week's polls. Illinois State is the only opponent in that stretch that is not currently listed in one of the polls, with Illinois playing 13 games during that time against teams in the NFCA top 25 at the time of the game.

The Illini have captured two wins over ranked opponents this season, shutting out No. 16 Missouri, 3-0, in the first game of a doubleheader on March 26, and topping No. 20 Nebraska, 11-4, in front of a near sellout crowd of 1,289 on April 5.

According to the NCAA RPI, the Illini have 10 games scheduled against top-15 teams, 20 against teams in the top 20, 24 against teams in the top 50, and 37 against the top 100.

So far, the Illini have taken care of business against weaker teams, going 16-6 against teams ranked below them in the RPI, including 11-0 against those outside the top 100. Additionally, Illinois defeated #11 Missouri on Mar. 26 and #14 Nebraska on April 5. The Illini have the chance to pick up more quality wins this weekend, with a three-game series against #7 Michigan.

Throughout non-conference play, the Illini faced teams from 19 different leagues in addition to the Big Ten, playing the most against members of the Summit League (North Dakota State, Omaha, IUPUI). Eight of these opponents are playing their first season in a new conference.

The Illini will take on seven teams that won their conference in 2013, along with five that won their conference tournaments. So far, the Illini are 5-1 against 2013 regular-season conference champions (UIC, Loyola, EIU, Creighton, Hofstra, NDSU) and 2-6 against tournament champs (Central Michigan, USF, South Alabama, Hofstra, Wisconsin).

Of their 54 regular-season games, just 15 will be played at Eichelberger Field, while the remaining 39 will take place away from home.

The Illini have a very challenging Big Ten draw, taking on all five teams that finished ahead of them in the 2013 standings, including regular-season champion Michigan (H) and Big Ten Tournament champion Wisconsin (A).

BAUCH'S BOMBS BEAT `BIRDS

Illinois moved to 4-0 against in-state competition on April 1, as the Illini lineup belted three home runs against Illinois State in Normal, Ill. For the fourth time this season, Allie Bauch led off the game with a solo home run. In all four of those games, another member of the Fighting Illini also went deep, which for the second-straight time was senior Jenna Mychko, who led off the fourth inning with a solo shot. Four batters and a pitching change later, Bauch did it again, smashing a two-run dinger to right center to put Illinois ahead 5-0 and help lead the Illini to a 7-4 victory over ISU.

Bauch's pair of homers tied the school record, as she became the 11th member of the Fighting Illini to hit two home runs in a game. She was the first to do so in nearly three years, as the feat had not been achieved since it happened five times in 2011, including three by Jessica Davis. The last Illini to go deep twice in a game was Hollie Pinchback, who used the long ball twice to help the Illini top Northwestern, 5-4, on April 30, 2011.

NEEDHAM SHUTS OUT NO. 16 MISSOURI

On March 26, the Illini took on No. 16 Missouri in a neutral-site doubleheader at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. Illinois freshman Brandi Needham shut down the Tigers, limiting them to just five hits, all singles, throughout a complete-game shutout. A two-out, two-run double by Jess Perkins in the third inning scored Kylie Johnson and Brittany Sanchez, and the Illini tacked on an insurance run in the sixth, with the help of a double by Remeny Perez and a sacrifice fly by Katie Repole. Needham finished out the win with a 1-2-3 seventh inning, making the final out of the game herself by snagging a line drive.

The win marked the Illini's 39th victory over a ranked opponent, and the first over a top-20 team since the Illini defeated No. 17 Fresno State, 5-0, on Feb. 20, 2010. It was Illinois' 12th shutout of a ranked opponent, as they last blanked a top-25 team on April 29, 2012, at No. 22 Michigan, 2-0.

PERKINS' TWO-RUN BLAST LIFTS ILLINI IN EXTRAS

On March 9, Brandi Needham was fantastic in the circle, limiting Hofstra to just four hits and no runs over seven innings, but despite having a runner on in every inning, the Illini struggled to come up with an RBI, and the pair headed to extra innings in a scoreless tie. However, with two outs in the top of the eighth, Jess Perkins came through big time with a monster two-run blast to left to put Illinois ahead 2-0. Needham then completed the win with a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth, with the help of a heads-up play by Ruby Rivera at shortstop, to seal the deal for the Illini and pick up her second career shutout.

LEADING LADIES

Illinois has done a great job getting innings started, as leadoff batters have reached base in 109-of-279 innings (.391), while the Illini's opponents have been effective just 36.4 percent of the time. Illini leadoff batter Allie Bauch has reached base 28 times in 72 attempts (.389). She has gotten on safely 15 times as the first batter of the game, including four leadoff home runs. Every Illini who has led off at least three times is hitting .260 or better in the situation, including seven that are hitting at least .375. Jenna Mychko (.471) is second to Bauch by reaching 16 times, Ruby Rivera (.565) has reached 13 times and Brittany Sanchez (.375) has been on to start an inning 12 times.

ILLINOIS RECORDS BEST SEASON START EVER

The Fighting Illini opened the 2014 season on an eight-game winning streak, marking the best start to a season in program history. The 8-0 debut eclipsed the previous record of six wins to begin a season, which the Orange and Blue set in 2001, their first season with a scholarship team, then matched in 2003 and again in 2010.

The Orange and Blue won 11 of their final 12 regular-season games in 2013, putting together a 19-1 record in regular-season games from April 20, 2013 to Feb. 15, 2014.

It took facing the No. 1 team in the country, undefeated Tennessee, the 2013 NCAA Runner-Up, for Illinois to finally lose a game. The Illini contained the Lady Vols' potent offense through the first six innings, but a two-out rally in the top of the seventh pushed the game out of reach, as the Illini would fall 10-0. Illinois tallied five hits against two-time USA Softball National Player of the Year finalist Ellen Renfroe, who had allowed just five total hits over her previous three starts combined, but stranded them all on base.

MIDDLE INFIELD SETS RECORD AGAINST EIU

When the Fighting Illini took on Eastern Illinois on Feb. 8, the Orange and Blue pitching staff kept the ball in the infield for nearly the entire game, as the Panthers registered just one flyout to the outfield. The Illini registered a program-record 20 assists in the eight-inning game, surpassing the previous record of 19 assists set on Feb. 12, 2006, against Tulsa and matched on May 4, 2008, against Iowa. Illini second baseman Allie Bauch accounted for nearly half the team's assists, tying the school record with nine in the game, to go along with three putouts and participating in a key double play. Bauch tied the record that was set by Illini Assistant Coach and second baseman Katie O'Connell on March 24, 2001, against Wisconsin, and was matched last season by teammate Katie Repole on Feb. 15, 2013, at third base against Houston.

DAZZLING DEBUTS

The Fighting Illini freshman class shined on opening weekend, as all four healthy first-years contributed in a big way at the Rosemont Rumble. Right fielder Nicole Evans registered a hit and scored in all five games at the indoor tournament, completing the weekend by hitting .400 with two doubles, two home runs, four RBI, eight runs scored and a team-best .933 slugging percentage. Additionally, she was perfect in the outfield, including making a run-saving outfield assist against UIC by robbing the batter of an RBI single to right by making the play to first.

Shortstop Ruby Rivera was unstoppable on her first weekend, hitting a team-high .538 at the Rosemont Rumble, including going 6-for-6 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt in her first eight career plate appearances. It was not until the fourth inning of her third game when the rookie was retired for the first time, on a ball that was ruled an out by the umpire after striking the ceiling of the dome. She finished the weekend with seven hits, a double, two walks, three runs, two RBI, and a sacrifice bunt, while registering perfect poise at shortstop, making 15 assists, nine putouts and turning two double plays. Following the first weekend of play, Rivera ranked second only to teammate Allie Bauch (21) in the Big Ten in assists.

Brandi Needham turned heads on opening weekend, going 3-0 in three appearances in the circle, registering a 0.79 ERA with just two runs and one walk over 17.2 innings. The Dripping Springs, Texas, native made her first career start against Loyola, where she allowed just one earned run on five hits and one walk over 5.0 solid innings to pick up her first win. Needham returned to the circle for her first relief appearance the following morning, tossing 5.2 shutout innings to close out the Illini's extra-innings victory over Eastern Illinois. She then tabbed her first career complete-game victory in the weekend finale against Central Michigan, holding the Chippewas scoreless through the first 6.2 innings, before finishing the day with six hits, one run and three strikeouts over 7.0 frames. After the first weekend of play, she is tied for first in the Big Ten in wins, second in innings pitched and walks allowed, and fourth in ERA.

Jade Vecvanags contributed for the Illini on both offense and defense, starting each game as the designated player and making two appearances in the circle. The Orange, Calif., native went 1-for-2 with a walk in her debut as the cleanup hitter against UIC, then pitched a perfect 1-2-3 sixth inning in relief against Loyola to seal up the Illini's second win of the day. She struggled in her first career start on the mound against IUPUI, allowing three runs over 2.1 innings, but picked her team up on offense by going 1-for-3 at the plate against the Jaguars.

Alyssa Gunther missed the majority of tournament season due to a hand injury shortly before the season, but she finally made her debut for the Orange and Blue at home during the Fighting Illini Classic. Beginning her career as a pinch runner, scoring a run against both North Dakota State and Omaha, while stealing her first career base against UNO.

ILLINI RECORD PERFECT OPENING WEEKEND

The Fighting Illini could not have had a better start to the 2014, as they swept through the competition at the Rosemont Rumble with a perfect 5-0 record. Illinois began the season with back-to-back 10-run victories over co-hosts and 2013 Horizon League Co-Champions Illinois-Chicago (11-1) and Loyola (12-2), then pulled off solid wins over 2013 OVC Champion Eastern Illinois (4-2), IUPUI (5-3) and 2013 MAC Tournament Champion and NCAA Regional qualifier Central Michigan (4-1).

The Illini were solid on all parts of the game, hitting .360 as a team, while registering a 1.91 ERA and a .988 fielding percentage. Nine Illini had at least two hits on the weekend, with seven starters hitting over. 300. Ruby Rivera (.538), Brittany Sanchez (.529) and Jenna Mychko (.500) all hit at least .500, and Nicole Evans led the Orange and Blue with a .933 slugging percentage over the five games.

The Illinois pitching staff limited its opponents to nine earned runs on 32 hits and just five walks over 33 innings. Freshman Brandi Needham had a fantastic debut weekend for the Illini, going 3-0 with a 0.79 ERA and just one walk allowed over 17.2 innings, picking up her first complete-game victory against Central Michigan. Junior Shelese Arnold had a solid weekend back in the circle for the Orange and Blue, earning a pair of wins and limiting her opponents to just four earned runs over 12.0 innings. A big key to the Illini's success was the pair's ability to limit opponents at the plate with runners on base, as they held the other team to just nine hits in 49 attempts (.184).

Conversely, the Illini offense took advantage of RBI situations, hitting .338 as a team with runners on base, led by Sanchez, who went 6-for-9 with runners on. The Illini leadoff batters also got the job done, reaching base in 15 of 32 innings (.469) to get things started for the Orange and Blue. Additionally, Illinois took advantage of clutch hitting to make things happen, tallying 20 two-out hits and 25 two-out RBI to hit .417 with two down at the Rosemont Rumble. In comparison, Illinois' opponents recorded just two 2-out RBI.

ALEX BOOKER NAMED PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN

Senior left fielder Alex Booker was named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Second Team by CollegeSportsMadness.com, after earning All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Defensive Team honors in 2013.

Booker had a fantastic season for the Illini on both offense and defense in 2013, leading the Orange and Blue at the plate with a .352 batting average and registering a .427 on base percentage. The speed demon stole 20 bases on just 21 attempts, becoming the third Illini in school history to tab 20 swipes in a single season, while tying for second with a .952 efficiency. The Gurnee, Ill., native put together a team-best 51 hits, 33 runs, 13 RBI, five doubles, a triple and 18 walks, while recording three sacrifice bunts in 2013.

She was also outstanding in left field, recording the most fielding chances in the Big Ten without making an error, tallying 87 putouts and seven outfield assists.